Roberts will not return to Penguins
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

What Would Gary Roberts Do?

Move on, apparently.

Rick Curran, who represents Roberts -- a veritable folk hero in his season-plus with the Penguins -- said yesterday that Roberts will continue playing, but not in Pittsburgh.

"He very much enjoyed his time there," Curran said. "But he understands that Ray [Shero, the Penguins' general manager] has a number of items on his agenda that would take priority."

Curran added that Roberts, 42, "most definitely" intends to continue his career and will decide where after reaching unrestricted free agency next Tuesday.

The Penguins acquired Roberts from Florida Feb. 27, 2007, for defenseman Noah Welch, and he endeared himself to fans almost immediately with his intensity and physical style of play.

He had seven goals and six assists in 19 games with the Penguins at the end of 2006-07, and three goals and 12 assists in 38 appearances in 2007-08. He missed more than half the season while recovering from a broken leg and high ankle sprain.

"He wants to have a good solid season [in 2008-09], injury-free," Curran said.

Roberts was paid $2.5 million the past season and, with the Penguins' salary-cap concerns, giving that kind of money to a fourth-liner who fills a fairly limited role simply isn't viable.

"He had a real good experience there, and he's glad that he came," Curran said. "But he's going to look for opportunities somewhere else."